Solheim is reported to have disclosed that if both parties do place their signatures to this document peace talks can begin as early as April this year. The Norwegian met with the LTTE's Chief Negotiator Anton Balasingham in London last week for the last time before he will meet with President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge in Colombo next week.

Solheim was expected in Colombo this week but was forced to push back his arrival as President Chandrika Kumaratunge left on a two day visit to India. Though Solheim is now expected in the Island next week this too may change as Kumaratunge is scheduled to leave for Europe for a period of 14 days. The Norwegian as a result may have to bide his time and perhaps meet with her at a European destination.

Meanwhile, Mervyn Silva the Deputy Minister for Social Services & Housing Development for the Fishing Community in the South, today led a protest march along the Galle Road to the British High Commission to hand over a letter demanding that UK proscribe the LTTE. The protesters were stopped at police barriers in the high security area, but Silva together with a few of his supporters was allowed to walk to the BHC and hand over his letter.

The deputy minister addressing a large and unruly crowd minutes before he handed over the letter threatened that if the UK did not ban the Tigers, bigger protests would soon follow.

The Sihala Urumaya too issued a press statement today calling upon the government to refrain from initiating a dialogue with the LTTE and instead to concentrate on militarily defeating the Tigers. Published: Tue Feb 27 10:18:34 EST 2001

The meeting took place in LTTE-controlled territory after the peace delegation received approval to enter it from both the government and LTTE.

As an organisation that seeks to promote a negotiated political solution to the ethnic conflict, the National Peace Council participated in this meeting between the LTTE and the inter-religious peace delegation.

The LTTE leaders who met with the peace delegation are reported to have narrowly escaped being ambushed by suspected government forces shortly after leaving the meeting place. The permission given by the government to the peace delegation to cross over into LTTE-controlled area at this time when the government has refused to reciprocate the LTTE's unilateral ceasefire needs to be appreciated. But, the NPC asserts that the organization views the attempted ambush after a peace meeting as a blow to civic efforts to build bridges of goodwill and understanding between the conflicting parties. Published: Tue Feb 27 10:27:09 EST 2001

The president went on to add that Sri Lanka's public service was sadly lacking in management skills and was still functioning according to an old system that urgently requires upgrading. She further observed that employees in the public service were not committed or skilled in their work and that she intended to change this sorry state of affairs. Published: Tue Feb 27 10:18:34 EST 2001

Meanwhile the National Peace Council in a press statement says that for the past two months, the issue of the impending British decision whether or not to ban the LTTE has taken center stage of public interest. Both the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE seemed to be deciding on their actions with the British ban in mind, and not with making a success of the Norwegian-facilitated peace process in their minds. The indefinite postponement of that decision by the British government is an opportunity for the two parties to get away from an over-emphasis on the British ban and to take positive steps regarding the peace process. The National Peace Council believes that an undue amount of importance has become attached to the issue of the British ban. The NPC notes that it must be borne in mind that the British legislation to ban organisations deemed to be terrorist was developed to protect their interests, not with our interests in mind. Whatever decision the British take will not change in the slightest the issue of justice and the need for power-sharing between the ethnic communities in Sri Lanka. The NPC further adds that when a delegation of inter-religious leaders who visited the Wanni together with the National Peace Council and met with the LTTE earlier last week, the LTTE representatives had said that the LTTE was prepared to drop the demand for a separate state if a peaceful and just solution was negotiated with them by the government. The peace organization observes that "the prolongation of the conflict, and the failure to resolve it, will continue to bleed the country physically, economically and morally," Published: Mon Feb 26 07:37:24 EST 2001

Two prominent Bishop's, Rayappu Joseph of Mannar and Bishop Saunderanayagam for Jaffna have written to Tiger Chief Velupillai Prabhakaran appealing to him to stand by his position of a unilateral truce and initiate a peace process as soon as possible.

The Norwegian backed peace process was seen to gather momentum last week when President Kumaratunge also stated that she expected to begin the first round of negotiations with the LTTE within the next two months. The Government however have refused to observe the Tiger ceasefire and insist that a de-escalation of the conflict can begin only after negotiations are progressing satisfactorily. Published: Mon Feb 26 07:37:23 EST 2001

Sri Lankan cricketers, some with folded hands, and England players observed a two-minute silence on Monday ahead of the last day's play of the first test to mourn the death of the game's legendary batsman, Donald Bradman.Bradman, heralded as much for his humility and integrity off the cricket field as for his outstanding play on it, died at his Adelaide home Sunday at the age of 92. More... Published: Mon Feb 26 09:09:45 EST 2001